Savior in Her Nightmare
by Rshinystars
Summary: Celeste is a knight of Hyrule, and best friends to Princess Zelda and Link. When the idea of going to the forest beyond the walls of Hyrule pops into conversation, Cele takes the adventure herself when the Hero of Time refuses to go. Due to unforeseen circumstances, Cele finds herself badly injured in the residence of her savior and worst nightmare. Rating might go up in the future
1. Chapter 1

**A/N**

 **-A short first chapter introduction but here we are! I've been writing this for a while, but stopped. Just recently, I picked it back up and I'm really in love with it. I'll try to post whenever I can. R &R and Enjoy!**

 _Chapter 1_

 _Celeste_ -

I stare at the duo as they debate. It's been awhile since we've had a conference like this, but every time it's one sided between the two of them. I just sit there and watch the two converse. It's quite amusing. The princess of Hyrule arguing with the hero of time. Had I not known they we're such good friends, I would've thought they hated each other when we first met.

"Celeste," Zelda says firmly.

"Yes?" I reply.

"What do you think?" she asks.

"About?"

Link sighs, "Were you even listening?"

"To be honest, I wasn't," I shrug. "I was too amused."

"Gee, thanks Cele," Link shakes his head.

"Whatever, what's the problem?"

"We're thinking about investigating the forest once more, however, Link over here refuses to do it," Zelda explains. Her intense blue eyes flicker towards Link, who folds his arms humming in discontent.

"You know why, Zelda. I'm not going anywhere near that forest."

"I think it's a change of scenery from our usual bustling kingdom," I reply. "Why are you investigating anyway?"

Zelda stands up and walks over to the windows. She moves the curtains revealing the forest and a grim look appears on Link's face. I walk over to the window, "Do you see anything different about the forest?" Zelda asks.

"It looks dreary," I reply.

Zelda nods, "Exactly. That's concerning."

"Hm..." I tap my bottom lip. "What if I just go? Spare Link the trouble."

Link pushes his chair over as he stands, "Absolutely not." I'm taken off guard by his sudden outburst.

"What? Why not?" I ask.

"It's too dangerous," Link says softer, but still firm.

"How?" Zelda walks over to him.

Link looks away, "It just is. Please Cele, you can't go."

"If you don't want me to go, then you just go with me."

Link remains silent avoiding my gaze. I sigh realizing my only decision is to go.

"I'll go," I say.

Zelda looks at me with uncertainty, "Hm..."

"Is something wrong?"

"I can understand why you're so concerned about her going, but Link, if you don't want anything to happen, then go with her," Zelda gently touches my shoulder. I notice that there is obviously another conversation going on that I didn't understand. I grumble a bit at their lack of faith in me. Link glances at me, his bright blue eyes full of a worry I hadn't seen in awhile.

"How about neither of us go?"

I huff and walk out of the room. I don't understand why Link won't just go in there. When I was younger, I went in there and came out just fine, but even then, Link didn't like going in the forest. Why doesn't he just tell me why he doesn't like the forest? That could probably help my understanding. Then again, I was always the one out of the loop when it came to those two.

I gently pet my horse as it neighs. I give it a small smile.

"We're heading to the forest today girl, since Link doesn't seem to want to go," I whisper.

I hop onto her and slowly lead her out of the castle stables and out into the fields behind. Shortly before, I can hear Link calling out my name, telling me to stop. I pretend I can't hear him and move faster. The forest seems dreary and dark, compared to its usual mysterious, light atmosphere. Slowly, I urge my horse into the forest. Her hesitation is evident. I sigh and hop off her.

"Just walk with me," I whisper to her. She walks alongside me as we walk inside the monochrome forest. Hesitant as she may be, she continues her loyalty around me and stands by my side. A small smile forms on my face as I look from her to the direction we're heading to.

The forest gets darker the deeper we go and I start feeling dizzy. I don't know if it's from dehydration, or just being unlucky, but either way, it's not a situation I want to be in. My horse begins panicking and she bucks. I swear under my breath as I try to calm her, but I then hear footsteps slowly heading our direction. I draw my sword. At first, I assumed it was just a small thing nearby, but as time passes they get louder and the heavier. The ground trembles with each movement, and I cringe. The shaking makes my head hurt and the idea of something big coming doesn't help either. I turn my horse around and hop on her. We need to move and fast. I kick her and she gallops off, however, I slowly realize that everything looks familiar, but not, at the same time. Everything blends in, but I don't remember us walking too far in.

So why are we still in the forest?

This, as far as I know, isn't connected to the lost woods whatsoever. That's on the other side. My horse begins to neigh loudly, and I inwardly scold her for being so loud as to alarm the beast. However, the movement stops. The ground calms and the noise isn't loud.

That only lasts for a few seconds.

Soon after I fill relief rush through me, the footsteps begin again, and two times faster. They were in a mad rush towards us and the ground was shaking more and more.

"Go!" I shout. My horse wastes no time and moves. I cling to her for dear life as the shaking becomes worse. The noise makes my head hurt and I close one eye to try to block it out.

My grip does nothing, however. The footsteps are so heavy that we start flying a few inches in the air. This throws my horse off and her running is hindered. I grip her reins harder, but to no prevail. I'm eventually thrown off without a seconds notice.

My heads nails a tree with a loud thud and a yelp of pain escapes my mouth as my body slumps. The pounding in my head grows fierce, and that and the combination of this footsteps makes me sick. My vision blurs, but I can see my horse blindly keep running. I try my damnest to keep myself conscious, however, the effort takes more work than it's worth. My body won't move and my hearing is cloudy with the horrible mixture of stomping and the throbbing in my head.  
I feel something lick my cheek. I try to turn my head. Did my horse come back? What I see is a white fox licking my cheek affectionately. I bite my lip. Why is it still here with all this going on? Suddenly, a figure picks me up and I'm flying in the air. I try to look at them as my vision begins to fail me, but I can't make any features out.

"What the hell are you doing?" I hear them say as I lose consciousness.

The only thing I can think of at this moment is:

 _I'm sorry, Link_.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Warmth envelops me, my eyes flicker open rapidly. I wince and shut my eyes tightly as the throbbing headache returns. I gently rub my temples to try to soothe it. Am I still in the forest? Is that creature still chasing me? Suddenly something presses on my shoulder; I jerk up and start reaching for a weapon that is not there. I begin punching and kicking at whatever has touched me. Promptly, both of my hands are pinned to the bed. I try to kick them, however, they do nothing to the person pinning me.

"Would you calm down? I would hate to use anymore force on you," a male voice says. The voice is demanding, yet surprisingly gentle. Nothing like what I expected of my captor. Slowly, I focus my eyes on the person above me. There, above me, is a man with a hood hiding his face, but not the bright red eyes beneath it all. Chills go down my spine looking at the disembodied eyes, and I turn my gaze to the rest of his outfit trying to measure up my threat and distract myself from the glow behind the hood. Donned with a black tunic with a golden trim on it along with a long black cloak with three golden chains loosely keeping it together. My gaze wanders back to his and I wince slightly. He releases me.

"Are you finally calm?" he asks. I sit up slowly never taking my eyes off him. "I'll take your silence as a yes." He heads towards the door.

"Who are you?" I ask.

Instead of answering, he walks through the door, "I suggest you just keep quiet." With that, he leaves. I scowl at his figure retreating down the hall. Where in the world am I? My eyes wander around the room. The room was a bit smaller than the one back at the palace. It's relatively empty with just a closet, nightstand, bathroom, and dresser.

No sword. No shield.

My weapons are gone and I don't know where.

I rub my head again and slowly get off the bed. My balance is off so I steady myself by holding onto the bed and move along the wall. I follow it down to a winding staircase and mentally curse. Nothing else needed to add onto my dizziness, so I sit down at the top of the staircase.

If I need to defend myself from this _stranger_ I will. I don't know what they're planning, but I won't betray the sense of danger that is seething through my body. If I want to try something, I need to find my weapon.

And quick.

"You haven't gotten very far have you?" my savior's voice asks. He must've heard me get up.

"I can't when I'm so dizzy," I snap looking about the hall branching into multiple other sections.

The walls painted ebony with gold or white bordering a door or window. A giant chandelier glowing blue illuminates over my head giving the ominous feeling of death. Just how big is this place? And where in the world am I? Furiously, I rub my eyes trying to regain my vision, and hopefully my sanity enough to wake up from this nightmare and realize either I'm still asleep at the castle, or worst case scenario, in the sister forest of the lost woods. Though, my vision blurred, and my head spinning, the monstrous double doors that stand before me at that the end of the hall.

That must be his room.

I mentally keep that in check and consider that I might have to check there if I ever want to get out of here.

That is, if I ever get the chance to escape.

My knight instincts are telling me he's dangerous. They're telling me I can't trust him. I won't ignore them. I sneak down the hall as carefully as I can in my own daze trying to keep myself from the danger.

"Hmph," he replies. "What's your name?" The disembodied voice sounds throughout the vast living space. A part of me is begging to ask the question as to why I'm hearing his voice when I doubt he's anywhere near, and another part of me simply ignores that strange factor.

"Celeste," I reply absently, still searching. I peak through a door that's half cracked expecting to see a torn down room covered in mold and splotches of blood from past victims. However, I'm greeted with a pristine room that has yet to be inhabited. Nothing but living space and a few plants here and there.

Didn't take him as a nature lover.

"Celeste, then," the voice grows faint. I bite my lip and I try to make my way throughout the area with little noise.

I hop from room to room, hoping to find something. Each time, however, I'm greeted with the same empty sight. Black walls and empty space to house a few plants. Occasionally, if the room is special, it holds a book case. Just my assumption, but it seems that having such a large place, for what I'm assuming is just one person, is a little overboard.

I've heard of hermits before. I know they love their solitude, but for a house this grand in the middle of a death forest? They must be insane, and I'm trapped here not wanting to make a wrong move and be killed on the spot.

Still, here I am snooping around this place for my sword and shield just asking to be caught. I'll be dead if I don't move fast. I notice an umbrella in the corner of the room, and furrow my brow in utter confusion. An umbrella? For what purpose would it be in this random room of all? My hand reaches out for the umbrella with thorough hesitation. What if this umbrella has some sort of mechanism used to harm anyone who is not their formal wielder.

It's too late to back out as my hand is already touching it, and my fingers wrap around the handle.

Damn, I'd be dead if this truly was a threat. I observe the umbrella and let out a relieved by disappointed sigh when revealed that this is but another ordinary umbrella. Even so, this can't hurt. Any sort of defense is good at this point.

After giving up with all the rooms, assuming them all the same. I head to the double doors at the end of the hall. This part, where the light now red goes dim. The doors beckoning me to enter, yet I know only danger lies beyond.

I reach to open the door, however, my hand is grabbed violently and I hear a growl in my ear, "Now, what do you think _you're_ doing, little lady?"

I swing around quickly trying swing around at the man grabbing me; however, my dizziness gets the best of me and my arm is slapped firmly arm. The vice grip overtakes my other hand and I'm suddenly pinned against the door. My eyes are drawn to his glowing vermillion eyes under the pitch blackness in the depths of his hood. Desperately, I try to look away, but he roughly jerks my chin to look at him again.

"I asked you a question. Now, answer it. What do you think you're doing?" he hisses. I try to pull away again, but the grip on my wrist tightens so much, I fear he might break it and I bite my lip hard. Too hard. I clench my eyes tightly. The taste of iron, however, is still better than this situation if I know where it came from.

As long as it's not from him trying to kill me.

" _Answer me_ ," his voice low and near my ear. Too close.

I open my eyes slightly, "Let me go."

His eyes, smirk, danger full within them, "You have a lot of nerve ordering me around when I might just snap your wrist." The nightmare pulls back slightly and I shiver under his scrutinizing gaze, "That honestly sounds quite delightful."

I want to plead for him to release me, but I haven't reached that low a point, "Why are you keeping me here?"

"Keeping you here?" a low disembodied chuckle rings in my ear like a death call. "Is that anyway to thank your savior?"

"I don't know about you, but I don't think my savior would be trying to break my wrists," I say through gritted teeth. Flexing my free hand I get a quick glimpse of the umbrella on the floor. If I'm lucky, I might…

I shouldn't risk it.

"You have a lot of attitude," he presses against me harder and I feel suffocated. This "savior" of mine knows what he's doing. He knows that he's making me absolutely miserable. I need a chance to break free.

"What do you have planned?" I try to keep my voice steady under his crushing gaze.

His eyes narrow slightly as he looks me over, "It's none of your business. Maybe I'm just going to use you for some sort of experiment," I flinch at his words. The amusement in them gone, replaced, instead, with complete seriousness. "Perhaps I'll use you for some sort of dark ritual. Make you a sacrifice or vessel or something."

"You're a monster."

He releases another dark chuckle, "No, my dear. I'm nowhere near the monster you have made me out to be. Not yet. I haven't done anything."

 _Not yet_. "Then what is this?!" I shout jerking my wrist under his crushing grip forward for emphasis, but I merely hurt myself more.

I know the yelling did it. I know the yelling was probably the last thing I ever wanted to do, but I have already done it, and there's no going back. My mind reels as I feel a sudden sickness overtake me. Fear at its finest. His piercing glare intensifies further and I want to release a tiny apology, but my voice doesn't work and my pride won't let me.

Before I know it, I'm face down on the ground. The umbrella I had grabbed earlier lies right beside my head. Yet, my body remains paralyzed on the ground. I try hopelessly to move, but all I can do is sit up slowly and look up at the red eyes I fear so much. The eyes that are swimming with so much emotion. So much rage. So much rejection. Annoyance.

Beyond that though, another emotion that can't be classified for a person-thing, of such caliber. I silently pray to myself that he'll make this a painless death. I say the unspoken apologies I should say to Link and the princess.

Still, death does not come.

I open an eye I haven't realized I've shut. I'm in the room I had woke up in and I see him fading into the hall like a shadow in the night.

This is going to be a nightmare.

* * *

 **A/N: Hey guys! Sorry this chapter took me so long (and it's also rather short). I decided that I was going to rework a few portions of this story and the early chapters. I'm reworking chapters 3 and 4 to my satisfaction right now.**

 **This one was just recently finished and I do like the way this was rewritten especially for the characterization of these two characters right now. I'll try to post more frequently in between school and all.**

 **Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy it. R &R**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Just a warning, there's some language here.**

* * *

 _Celeste_

All I can think to myself at this point is how I'm probably the stupidest person alive. I now understand why Link didn't want me to go, and why Zelda suggested he go with me. So I wouldn't end up like this, where I'm trapped in some monster's home unable to get out without disturbing _it_. Even after coming face to face with _it_ , I couldn't actually see its face, nor make out any other features with its fully cloaked form. As I am now, fully disturbed, and wrists that feel broken though I'm sure they're not, I couldn't make it very far.

My mind can only handle so much mental torture, and I'm sure if I stay in here longer than a day, I might actually go insane. I try to gain a mental grasp on the situation. I start doing simple things in my mind as I set up in my bed. Repeating my name over and over again. I repeat the names of my best friends. I keep telling myself I'm going to be okay.

But I can't seem to convince myself that I know that.

However, when I look outside, I notice that it is dark out. Wasn't it just light out a few minutes ago? I swear my so-called "sneaking" around the house only took about, say, ten minutes before I was captured again and placed in this room for the second time. Again and again, the event replays in my head. Each time, I calculate how much time that could've taken. But hours? That couldn't be. Unless, when I shut my eyes it was longer than the few seconds I thought it was.

What the hell is going on here?

Outside, the wind seems to pick up and the rustling of the trees bring a chill down my spine. Being locked up in this cage with a monster in the depths of a forest, doesn't not leave me with any comfort. I suppose these thoughts themselves freak myself out and I find the hairs rising on my arms and neck as a sign that I'm on the brink of freaking out. To calm my nerves, I finally get off the bed, but my body feels heavy and I'm moving extremely slow in comparison to before. I'm now even more concerned of what he might have done to me. And if I find out, will I be able to reverse its effects?

I sure as hell hope so.

And so I pray to the goddesses that I can make it out of here alive and beg them to never let me go on these types of missions alone again.

Dragging my feet across the pure white carpet, I lean against the wall as I try to make it near the door. The energy required to lift the invisible hundred pound weights on my feet was unexpected, and I find myself exhausted halfway through the path. I lean against the drawers in front of me and take a breather. This is more than I had bargained for. I decide, as I try to regain myself and wondering if I've always been this weak, to look through the drawers. One by one, I go through each, all except one being empty. The one that isn't empty holds a mere flashlight. I grab it and flip the switch, sure enough, it works. I release a silent sigh of relief as I continue my trudge throughout this god-forsaken room and pray for the best.

When I actually reach the door to escape this Hell, I'm greeted with the fact that the hall way is just as dark as the forest beyond me. I grit my teeth and turn on the flashlight. This must be some sort of sick joke. Whoever that monster is, all they're doing is causing my life more misery than it needs. I'm already having some sense of regret for the all the decisions I've made over the past 24 hours or so. I don't need any help with this nightmare.

To my surprise, as soon as I walk out of my room, the weight in my feet seems to disappear and I fall face first into the ground from moving my legs with so much momentum. Feeling like a fool, I brush it off and get up as fast as I can. My eyes wander over myself to see what changed, but as far as I can tell no physical changes have occurred. I'm still the same. Wearing my same casual Hylian clothes, A pale cream blouse and my black leggings. My cloak seems to have disappeared somewhere, but I can honestly live without it, if it meant escaping this place sometime soon.

I swear, as soon as I focus my attention on the hall in front of me, I see a shadow cross in front of my eyes. I bite my lip hoping that my eyes are just playing tricks on me not used to this abnormal darkness. Cautiously, I begin treading across this perfect carpet. I never took this captor as a neat freak, but it seems he liked a tidy empty house.

I shake my head.

I move forward.

I manage to make it across the hall, down the stairs for the first time with the help of my flashlight. However, I speak too soon and I find myself feeling even more lost. I don't know this area, and therefore I'll be stuck roaming around forever. Furthermore, if I come across that _monster_ once again, I still won't be able to defend myself. His strength was incredible, nothing like I had anticipated. Scuffling sounds across the room, and I begin to think that maybe he's just playing with me. He knows my nerves are jumpy and he's taking advantage of that. Curse this monster.

My flashlight continues to swerve the room frantically in my hand as I try to gather my bearings and hope there's no pitfall in the middle of this room. From what I can tell from this light, it's a living room with about just as much in it as the rooms upstairs. It's merely a living space and nothing personal. Only a few plants here and there. I don't know what his obsession with plants are considering he lives in the middle of a doom forest.

Another chill goes down my spine.

Except this time it isn't the result of the creepy trees singing their strange incantation into the night. This time, it felt like something had actually touched me. The last thing I want is to be touched, let alone by this monster, or whatever other creature could possibly be in here. I shrink in upon myself and draw a few steps forward, despite that, I end up tripping over something. Something that let out a soft yelp that matched mine. Although, my small yelp turned into a loud scream by the end of that. I roll over quickly the eery sounds of movement surrounding me. I feel trapped, suffocated.

"If this is some type of sick joke, this better stop," I warn baring my teeth. I don't know what good saying that aloud would do me. It's not like whatever is surrounding me would care. Plus, who was i to threaten anyone when they could easily make me their dinner?

Chills.

"Ah," the voice from earlier sounds in my right ear, and my eyes dart in that direction. "My, my, you seemed to have escape," he suddenly appears right next to me, " _Again_."

Another chill. I grit my teeth harder. By the end of the night, I won't have any. Not that'll I'll need them anyway after he's done with me.

"And what are you going to do about it? Send me in that room again?" I dare to challenge him like this. I must be mentally prepared to die.

A sickening chuckle escapes his hood, "Well, all things considered, that'd be rather foolish. After all, you just can't seem to stay still for the life of you."

"Then what?"

"I'll think of something," comes the simple response full of disaster.

The sun starts to rise and I can see the room more clearly. What I had tripped over is standing in front of me with a glare. A deku scrub that is not at all having with being trampled stands at the feet of the monster towering over me.

"Just give me whatever punishment now," I manage a broken smirk, "I hate surprises."

"Like tonight, I take it."

"Oh, you bet."

I don't know where this sudden burst of attitude has come from, but the sense of dread never leaves me. I'm still caught up in his pace, even if he's only said a few words to me.

The sun rises abnormally quick, and now I can see everything. No squinting needed. I see the fiends that Link had fought when Ganondorf was trying to take over. Bokoblins, moblins, deku skrubs coming from their hide out in the pots, no wonder he had so many plants. They were all these creatures. His minions.

My end.

The sun shines bright, and I wonder just how time seems to flow here. It's like it's on a different clock than the rest of the world. The fully cloaked figure, squints in the light taking in the time that has passed. A click of his tongue resounds.

"Three weeks, and none of your friends have come, how disappointing."

My heart stops. My blood runs cold. Did he say three weeks? Have I really been out for three weeks? How in world could I have slept for three weeks straight and still survived? DId he cast a spell on me? But if he could manage that, I'm sure he would've just ended me in general. There was no use in wasting his time on a lone girl who couldn't manage to walk around a house without tripping.

Unless…

"What are you planning?"

"Hm?" his glare at the sun turns into a calculated stare at me. "I'm not planning anything, my dear."

"You're trying to lure out my friends aren't you?" I accuse.

He doesn't seem at all affected by my accusation, more amused than anything judging from his eyes, "No, I could care less about them. I just want you out of my sight." He clicks his tongue again, "You would think your friends would come and save you by now, but I guess they could care less."

"..."

I have no words to that; he seems to notice.

"Don't you think your friends would have come and saved you if they really wanted to by now?" he teases. "I guess you're just as worthless to them as you are to me."

He's playing with my emotions, and I steel myself like Link trained me, "Obviously, this isn't the most ideal spot. Who builds their house in the back of the woods?"

"I wouldn't call this a house so much as a prison, and I'm not the watchguard, " he says. "You awoke the beast, and I should make you pay. But I have my word to keep, and I can't get your blood on my hands. I should just let _it_ end you for me."

By _it_ I'm assuming he means whatever creature was charging for me. But if that's the case, why did he save me if he wants nothing to do with me? I shake it off and try to push forward, but by the time I look back up, he's gone. I growl in frustration.

"Why don't you just free me?!" I yell angrily.

"Because you would die."

"Isn't that what you want?"

"Yes, but I have a word to keep, and killing you isn't part of it."

I grow frustrated even more with his vague responses, "Oh, when Zelda and Link get here, you're going to be so-"

The house shakes a little before I can finish my statement and a black fog presents itself in front of me. I cover my mouth as to not breath in this strange substance that has just appeared before me. When I open up my eyes that were squeezed shut once more, I see red eyes staring down at me with such a ferocity I flinch. The same expression as before. The same expression as when he pinned me to the wall and I thought I was dead.

" _I suggest you watch yourself_."

* * *

 **A/N: Oh boy, it's been a while since I've updated. Yeah, I got caught in school and stuff, but I've been working on this chapter for a bit now, and I'm still reworking what I had originally as I didn't like how it originally flowed.**

 **Anyway, now that I've finally got this chapter up I can take a bit of a breather. The story is going to start moving perhaps in two or three chapters? I don't know. It's kind of slow as of now, but don't worry it will pick up. And also I plan on switching the perspective at some point, so it won't all just be Celeste.**

 **Alright, thanks for your patience. And i hope you enjoyed this.**


	4. Chapter 4

**_A/N: The language picks up in this chapter, just so you know._**

* * *

 _Celeste_

Those words keep ringing throughout my ears, and I'm thoroughly haunted. I'm trapped here in this mansion prison, and he has made it clear that he doesn't like Link nor Zelda. My mind is only really filled with them, wondering if they're okay, wondering if they're searching for me, or if they even care to search for me. This would be a sick joke if they were just trying to get rid of me. To keep the man, creature, whatever he is, pleased, I've found that it's just best if I'm quiet. After hearing that demonic voice again for the second time, I couldn't bear to think what he would do if I didn't shut up about them.

Which is why these are the longest days of my life.

Granted I can't really tell how long a day is. Or when an hour passed. Not even a minute. Because every time I try to keep up with the clock here, it changes. When I think that the pattern is what would seem like everything three hours or so, it seems as if it changes in minutes. Time doesn't flow naturally here, and I've found solace in just watching the franticness of time pass in front of my eyes. I thought, Link, the Hero of Time, would've solved a simple issue of this forest being unable to remain stable, yet here I am, watching it before me. I can't really tell why I find this so interesting. Yes, it's strange, absurd really, but I guess it's the only thing distracting me from my current situation. Perhaps, it's also the fact that the instability of time also reminds me of my instability of my mind.

Even now, with any attempt to escape, he constantly scares me shitless. He gets thrills from seeing me frightened out of my mind. Yet, he won't say a word to me. All of this is done in his silence. He just appears from the shadows like nothing, and I'm tempted to just give him the name "Shadow," but I feel like _Nightmare_ still suits him better.

It wasn't too long ago. It might've been a few days ago now, maybe even a few hours ago, time runs together here, but a bokoblin with a yellow bandanna wrapped around his neck came up to me. Right then and there, I thought I was going to die. I thought this dark creature had finally given up on me and decided it was time to just get rid of me, but instead he spoke. My native language. I laughed out loud at this. It wasn't funny, no. But I honestly thought I had finally lost my mind. These creatures that Link had slaughtered to save the world and with the minuscule assistance of the Hyrulian guard and me, we had all thought we got rid of them all. Seeing them here, I thought they were just leftovers. Little did I know that there was a full clan of them still around, living in this god-forsaken forest, and speaking my language.

I thought him dangerous.

He didn't' act. Simply spoke as if it was normal. He spoke as if it was normal to be speaking to a human to comfort them. As if it's perfectly normal for a human to be sitting here in this room wasting away, trapped in this perpetual wild cycle of day and night, and take care of them to make sure they don't completely lose it.

As if this has happened before.

The more I thought about this, the more I laughed and the less funny this became.

I laughed because I was scared that I was finally caving in to the craziness of this place. I felt hypnotized, and I thought my _Nightmare_ had finally caught me into his full grasp. It was my own dark humor coming to get me.

I guess I insulted the Bokoblin that came to talk to me. Out of his own kindness, he felt bad for me and came to talk to me. Or maybe it was pity and an order. Either way, he came, and I had the audacity to laugh in his face and comment on his ability to speak my language. They were more than capable of having sophisticated conversations.

But he didn't back away.

He simply replied that he could, and they weren't as stupid as most humans thought they were. Sure, when they were under Ganon's control they seemed like dirt, but they were honestly an intelligent species. Most of them were anyway.

I found this hard to take in.

Not because it was hard to believe that they could actually speak, no, that was an interesting concept to me. However, it was also because thinking back at it, it was basically us killing humans almost. They were almost as human as us.

But what defined humans?

Because with what we did, couldn't we have just as easily been considered monsters. Some place off, humans aren't even our official title, it could be anything. So what made us so superior? What made humans, well, human?

Did I even have to right to call my savior what I do?

 _Nightmare._ _Shadow_.

These thoughts were brought to me by this simple small conversation with the Bokoblin. It was also something to keep my mind preoccupied as I sit here just watching days and hours go by. After that, I was looking forward to the next time he would come by. I thought that was now, but I saw the same tall figure that always frightens me.

 _Nightmare_.

I'll never know his name. I guess he knows mine and I'll never know his. I don't know how comfortable I feel with that, but I'll live with it. I have to at this point.

Despite that, he never initiates a conversation, not that I really want to have one, but I need something to pass the time. He's come in here several times maybe to give me food or water or something as my feet seem to have lost all meaning at this point, but each time, the words seem to leave my brain or I stuttered to the point where I see the amusement in his red glowing orbs, but my own embarrassment prevents me from commenting on that. He usually just walks away. I always fall to the point that it's futile to talk to him, but I know that I have to get over my fear. I won't continue to let him get away with striking fear into me so easily.

I have to conquer this.

So I start it again, as he walks through the door, "H-hey." I manage, my face flushing in embarrassment. However, he doesn't look up from the book he is reading and I realize that in my struggle to speak, my voice came out quiet and he walks through the black and white room and practically leaves.

I clear my throat in an attempt to get his attention, "H-hey!" My voice comes out loud.

Much louder than intended.

With this unnecessary loudness, he gives me a strange look and closes his book giving me his full attention as if I'm about to give a glorious speech that has been looked forward to for years. This is what I wanted right? So why is it that every time I reach this point, there are no words to be said?

I suppose he realizes this and walks away without a word. Though his eyes suggested, _Try again later_. I don't think he really wants me to. It all honestly, it was more a dare to try and then say something wrong and end up dead.

He knew I wanted to talk. He also knew I didn't have the guts to do anything.

Not yet.

As a result, I sit in silence once again. Eyeing my hands and looking at them with such malice. Since when was I this weak? Since when did I rely on one person so much? Do I really need Link to get me out of the situation I put myself into? The more I tugged my brain for a negative answer, the answer was always, yes. Yes, I do. In spite of that, I don't want to just give in, I want to get out, but I know I won't be getting far when I don't even have my horse anymore.

Ah, I'm alone out here.

"Er, ma'am?" the bokoblin calls out. The same one from before. My eyes jolt up and they soften from the hard look I was giving myself as I see him carrying a bunch of books

"Hello there," I say with a little more energy in my voice than before.

The bokoblin seems a little more relaxed at my tone, "You seem lonely."

"Just thinking," I admit with a shrug.

"You do that a lot."

So he realized.

I offer him a seat next to me, but he kind of just eyes it. He continues to stand there as if sitting is a foreign concept to him. Or he feels like if he sits he'll never get up. Kind of like me, except I would be the prison guard and he would be the prisoner. Unlike _Nightmare_ and me. He continues to stand there awkwardly, and I accept the fact that he has rejected my offer.

I guess it would be weird to look friendly with the prison girl.

"Do you mind if I ask you a question?" I ask watching him move the books to a table.

"I don't," his voice is small.

"Hm," I ponder which question I should ask first. "Do you have a name?"

That question seems to take him by surprise. And he looks at me shocked as he stops everything that he is doing. He clears his throat trying to re-gather himself, but he does no better than me talking to _Nightmare_.

"Er, no," he begins and then corrects himself, "Well, I used to, but that's all in the past. You lose your name in the mess of time and stuff."

"Used to, huh," I muse. "So you don't remember it?"

"No, I do," he explains, "I just have no need for it. You don't use names around here. Master doesn't."

Master. His reference to my captor, "Well, how does your 'master' distinguish you all?"

"He doesn't really need to if the only one he talks to is our captain, you see?" he seems to shrink a bit as he says captain.

"Doesn't he know you? I mean you're doing work for him."

He shrugs relaxing a bit, "I guess, considering I have this bandana, it sets me apart from the others...I guess."

"That's cool. What is your captain like?" I'm curious to see if they're anything like our guard captains back home.

"Crude, violent, not at all polite, but that's how we are," the bokoblin replies.

Nothing like us, "Well, you're not."

"No, I suppose I'm not."

As if he heard us talking, a larger bokoblin with a patch on his right eye with an "x" scar partially covered up beneath the patch. He looks angry and it seems like I'm not the only one who suddenly senses the danger, as the bokoblin with the yellow bandana seems to stiffen a bit.

"So this is where ya've been you useless junk," he scolds angrily. "What are ya doing over here with this _human_? Huh?"

I flinch at his use of "human," but the bokoblin replies, "Captain, Master told me to come here."

That explains why he comes here so often. _Nightmare_ probably told him to come here so I wouldn't keep trying to talk to him.

"Gah, this girl... She's ruining everything," the captain practically shouts. "Why the hell is she even still alive? She's useless! All she did was awaken that monster and now Master is just out trying to subdue it for now."

The monster? Was it that thing that was after me? I hadn't realized that it was going to be a danger to them. It just seem like it came out of nowhere and had always been roaming around here. It never seems to have really gotten close to here, but maybe that's because my captor has been pushing away. That thing seemed huge though. Could he really do anything about it?

I notice that the two are still arguing, "I'm goin' to talk to Master and get this damn girl out of his sight. There's no reason to keep 'er here. She's just taking up space and causing more work." The captain clicks his tongue, "Let alone the fact that she's probably a spy sent in by the Queen and that Hero of Time."

I wish I could say this was all part of the plan, but I can't take that credit. I was captured here after nearly getting killed by whatever beast is roaming the forest. So I guess I have to call this _Nightmare_ my savior as well. As much as I hate to admit it.

"Do you really think Master is just going to get rid of her?" the friendly one speaks again. "He has his word to-"

"Fuck that," the captain practically spits in his face. "Fuck all of these excuses, I'm going in."

"Going in where?"

The voice always manages to send chills down my spine. Out of nowhere, he always manages to appear and scare me shitless. I subconsciously clutch at my chair as if bracing for an attack, however, the man who seems to swim in the shadows stands on the other side of the room behind the captain bokoblin. The captain bokoblin swings around as he takes a few steps back as he bows down. The friendly one does the same, and I realize how much he is like a king here.

"M-master," the captain seems to lose the roughness in his voice. A formal tone takes over the one I just heard.

"What is this about you going in somewhere?" he wastes no time cutting to the chase.

The captain clears his throat and begins talking, "I just wanted to talk to you Master, but it seems you have met me out here first." There is an awkward sound that escapes the mouth of this bokoblin. An uncharacteristic wheeze seems to be the closest thing to an awkward laugh from him. I fight the urge to laugh.

Because I'm sure if I do, all attention will be directed to me, and this Bokoblin will hate me even more.

"So it would seem," there is no amusement in the man of shadow's voice. Instead it's rather dull and annoyed. "Cut the chase. About what?"

"I believe this ta be a private matter, milord," he shifts his position slightly in discomfort and nervousness causes his tone to shift.

The cloaked man, shifts a bit in annoyance, the golden chains connecting a part of his cloak jingle in this tense silence, "You seemed to have been pretty aggravated and openly talking about the issue earlier."

"Ya' heard?" he slightly loses his formal tone.

"Bits and pieces, and then I decided to come in and discuss it with the three who seem to be at the core of the issue," the light in his eyes glows a bit stronger, "Is there a problem with that?"

The captain stutters, "Not at all my lord."

"Good, then tell me, what is the issue."

And the room goes dead silent.

The captain seems to have lost all words like I usually do in this man's presence and he doesn't seem at all amused by this either. I can see the captain baring his teeth and frustration and probably silently cursing me for causing yet another problem. Except this time, it was brought by himself and I had nothing to do with this. He just had to voice his own opinions, and you would think since this bokoblin practically lives with my captor, that he would know not to speak so obnoxiously. Obviously, he's never been in this type of situation before.

"You."

His eyes fall on the bokoblin that had greeted me earlier. However, he stiffens even more and I can see the nervousness take over his form.

My nightmare sighs in annoyance and disappointment at the captain and looks at the bokoblin with the yellow bandana, "Besnik," he calls. I can see him stiffening beyond what I thought he could at what I assume is the use of his name. "Why don't you tell me what his complaint was." It was posed as an order, not a question.

The room seems beyond silent and out of the corner of my eye, I see one of the Deku Scrubs leave their position in a pot and leave. I guess even they can't handle this situation. Or they just fear being asked themselves.

His lack of patience overrides and he doesn't wait too long; he just goes straight to me.

"You," he says with his voice dangerously low. "Tell me what the issue is."

I don't say anything figuring it's not my place, but he continues.

"Celeste."

I freeze.

I'm shocked by the fact that he actually remembers my name. Even more than that, I'm surprised that he actually used it. Now, he's put me on the spot, and I already couldn't talk to him in a normal situation. I bite the inside of my cheek because I can tell that the captain is shooting daggers at me without even looking at me.

"Well?" he pushes. I sigh and decide it may be for the best.

"It was," I find my voice and clear my throat as I try to keep my voice strong. "Just me, no worries."

He smirks, "Was it you, or the issue of what to do with you?"

I bite down too hard on my cheek and I can taste iron, but I realize that he's probably heard more than he originally admitted to. Now, we've all dug our own grave.

Or maybe just the captain.

"I'll repeat myself for the last time," his voice has lost all amusement. "I have my word to keep, and I have every intention on keeping it."

"Why, milord?!" The captain shouts losing his cool. "What have these lowly humans done for ya except lock you in this prison to kill ya?!"

I'm shocked at the fact that he even has the nerve to shout at his master. Considering he seems to have such a high respect for this creature, it's obvious he also cares a little intensely for his well being, even going so far as to fully question his methods. He has a lot more nerve than I thought. Besnik, the moblin with the yellow bandana hasn't moved an inch since he was called out and is as straight as a billboard.

" _Why_? There isn't really a reason for you to know that, now is there?" the glow in his eyes intensifies. "Quite frankly, I shouldn't need to explain myself to you." The captain grits his teeth. "Celeste is here as a guest of the Queen, uninvited, but a guest nonetheless." his long strides pass the bokoblin captain and over to me. "She just happened to cause a little more trouble than had originally anticipated."

The bokoblin captain jumps at this, "Exactly why she should go! Why is it that the others that have come here left after a day, and she is still here after a month?"

He beckons me to stand, and I do as I'm told, his dark aura creeping over me, "Because there is more to this than wandering into the forest. There is more to this than just a monster on the loose. We have to take precautions."

"Why, if you don't mind me asking, milord," Besnik finally speaks.

"Because you don't just wake up the mistress of this forest by just wandering in."

With that, he turns around and I follow subconsciously. If I don't, I know I'll just make him even more aggravated than he already is. The anger flows off of him, and I'm surprised he didn't just snap the neck of the captain. He was challenging authority, and in this case, perhaps the king of darkness himself. We head to the hallway entrance as I watch his stride full of pride and no sense of weakness. He wasn't about to let anyone have a step over him. Especially not the captain.

And to reassure that, the king of this forest speaks before leaving, "Captain, if you have such an issue, then leave." He turns his head slightly with a dangerous look, and his voice turns into a low growl as he stops, " _And also, if you ever draw your sword like this again, you won't have to worry about your duties anymore_."

I look back and see the bokoblin captain slowly placing his sword back in his sheathe with his expression fully shocked. As I glance to the _Nightmare_ once again, I see him returning to his original walking pace with a devilish smirk. The clinging of his golden chains sounding down the hall and his boots hitting the polished marble black floor. The black and white walls that line this tense hall that I'm about to enter only dampen my mood as the only light to come through is from the room I just came from and the tiny window above the entrance. Multiple of his minions stop to give him a brief greeting, bowing their heads, and continuing on with whatever duty they were assigned. My gaze returns to the captain. His eyes burning furiously with a rage that could almost have matched the man from before.

I think I might be staring death in the eyes.

And I'm too afraid to greet it.

* * *

 **A/N: Trying to pump these out a little faster now that school has almost ended haha. Don't worry, like I said before, the plot will start moving soon, but now that I introduced the two bokoblins briefly I can move forward a bit. Also, I know the bokoblins only really occur in a few Zelda games, but I liked them for the point of this story. I works for what I want, so I'm taking a bit of creative liberty for the world here.**

 **Also, there will be a change in perspectives in the future, unless I change my mind and I decide against it. Thank you for your patience! R &R!**


	5. Chapter 5

p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"strongA/N: Haha, remember when I said I would write more over the summer? Yeah, well that didn't happen obviously. I got caught up in things and didn't get a chance to really work on this story. So I'm finally bringing chapter 5 here. Gosh, this took so long. There were long pauses in between the makings of this chapter. Sorry if it seems a bit odd or inconsistent. I'm just starting to get into the meat of the story haha. So let's see how it will go from now on. This is still a bit of character development and world building. As for what universe this is, consider it a blend of multiple Zelda universes because some monsters only show up in certain games./strong/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"strongAlso, this is my own interpretation of the characters haha. I have this specific head canon for Dark Link./strong/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"strongAnyway, RR and sorry for the wait. I'll try to shorten the wait next time haha./strong/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"strongENJOY!/strong/p  
hr style="margin: 5px 0px; border: 0px; background: -webkit-gradient(linear, 0% 100%, 100% 100%, from(#ffffff), color-stop(0.1, #cbcbcb), color-stop(0.9, #cbcbcb), to(#ffffff)) #cbcbcb; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;" noshade="noshade" size="1" /  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"Chapter 5/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"The room I'm sitting in isn't much brighter from my room when I awoke for the second time. In fact, all of the rooms seem to be dark. Maybe they can't handle much light? Then again, when it's fully bright outside the walls of this prison, they don't seem affected much. So why is everything so dark in here? I can barely see the hand in front of me. The only thing that stands out are his vicious red eyes and his gold embroidery and chains on his cloak./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Celeste, correct?" he asks leaning on his hand as he sits cross legged in his chair./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I nod unable to speak./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Silence is always good," he muses. "Why'd you come here?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Straight to the chase./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""The queen ordered it."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Zelda."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"He says her name so casually my eyes meet his immediately with shock. I knew he knew her, but to call her just Zelda was a little too casual for my taste. Especially since it didn't seem to have a friendly connotation to it./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Why did she order it?" he asks when I remain silent./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Because something wasn't right."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"And because Link didn't want to go. But I wasn't about to risk mentioning his name. Not in this situation. Not when he already knows about Zelda and him./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"He frowns at my vague responses. His burning red orbs scrutinizing me and as the seconds pass, it grows more intense. There is a pause that leaves a heavy weight on my shoulders./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Do you know why I ask this?" he drums his fingers across the desk. A steady rhythm filling the stiff air. I simply shake my head to avoid saying anything that might jeopardize my safety against his wrath. "Because you shouldn't be here. Because emI /emdon't want you here. And if the Princess-"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Queen," I bite my tongue quickly after the correction quickly escapes my mouth. It was unintentional, but an instinct to correct anyone who doesn't get her title correct. The duty as a Hylian knight and as her friend./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""em-Queen/em, sent you here on empurpose/em, there better be a good reason," his eyes wander to no place in particular. "Otherwise, you who awakened the beast will not have a pleasant time."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Like my time has been pleasant./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Just what is this beast?" I ask instead. "You mentioned this 'mistress of the forest' before, but who the hell is she?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"At this he raises an eyebrow at me, "emMy/em, haven't you lived a sheltered life."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""No-"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""You have if you don't know about this creature."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Queen Zelda and Link didn't know about it," I huff./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"At this an amused, sick chuckle escapes his hood, "They really didn't tell you emanything/em? Of course they know about her. She's the very thing that threatens our very land, yet here you are, with your ignorance." He hums and rests his chin on his wrist, "I guess that does answer a few of my questions… But how can you call yourself a Hylian Knight, if you don't know this? Let alone call yourself the friend of Zelda."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I glare at him with every fiber of my being. He's trying my patience now, and he's just lucky that I still consider him a serious threat, or I wouldn't hesitate to take action. I'm just unlucky enough to now know his power and not even have a weapon nearby. Everything is against me here, and my only option would be to make amends with him and hope he doesn't want to kill me first./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"The sound of the chains on his cloak draws me out of thoughts and I realize the door has opened behind me. Immediately, I swing around to look at the door. At that, his eyes glow in an odd sense of amusement. A shiver shoots down my spine. The look he gives me makes me question what he is thinking. Do I need to prepare for an attack? What is he going to say next? I can't figure him out. I don't know what he's thinking or how he thinks. No expression. Only his eyes that give me a hint to his thoughts, though even those only seem to show the emotion of anger, amusement, and apathy. Even that amusement just tells me that he's sick inside, probably wondering how he can torture me more./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""No need to be so tense," he hums./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I don't need you to tell me that, emShadow/em," I hiss unintentionally letting one of my many nicknames for him slip out. I know I made a mistake letting that slip out, and I bite harshly on my lip. emDamn/em./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"His reaction, however, is not what I anticipated. The flare in his eye is gone, "emShadow, huh?/em" The voice that escapes his lips sounds almost foreign. The sound deeper, confused, and oddly like he's reminiscing something. The same one I heard there first two times I interacted with him. I grip my chair tighter. Is he losing it? Have I broke him? Is he going to snap around and pull a weapon on me?/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Come," is all he says as he walks out. Either he just decided to ignore it and leave it, or it didn't bother him. Not that it matters. I don't know if I should risk calling him again./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I follow him. I won't protest, but he doesn't seem stable./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emAt all/em./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Not that he ever was./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I didn't know where he was heading, but the next thing I knew I was outside. In the very forest that I nearly died in sometime ago. I want to question why I'm here. However, seeing him so out of it has me wondering if I should speak at all. How would that jeopardize my life? I already messed up by calling him "Shadow," and he was oddly okay with it. That odd behaviour makes my nervousness shoot through the roof./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""You're still tense," comes a calm remark./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I hesitate, "Why wouldn't I be? I don't know who you are, or where you're taking me."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Didn't you just give me an identity? Shadow, was it?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I'm dumbfounded, "Why are you okay with that?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""It's better than that other devilish name I've forsaken," at that I can see his rage build as an odd black mist absorbs his hands, however, just as quickly fades./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Instinct tells me not to press, so I don't. I instead change the subject to something else I want to know, "Where are you taking me?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I've decided, that, because you are so ignorant to your surroundings, it can't hurt to show you the damage you've caused."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Damage? What damage?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""You'll see," there's a slight pause before he speaks again. "You have every reason to be afraid of me, but you're only drawing unwanted attention to yourself. You're only making emthem/em want to hur-" Shadow quickly stops himself before clearing his throat and restarting, "You're only making them want to scare you more."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""What?" I stutter. "What were you about to say?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"He falls completely silent and the only thing I hear are the crows and my brain going insane./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""You can't just stop like that and expect it to be okay."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Silence./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emGoddesses, please save me. Link, Zelda, where the hell are you two?/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"As we continue to walk through this forest, I realize first hand what Zelda was referring to when she was trying to get Link to come here. Grey and dead is the simplest way to describe this forest. The liveliness that you would see in the sister forest, Lost Woods, is not anywhere close to what is here. This place feels empty even when it's filled to the brim with trees. We travel along an odd path. Maybe manmade, or creature made./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"However, even if I'm in this unfortunate situation. Even if I might die here, I have to remember why I was sent here. Unintentionally./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"She sent me here to figure out why it's like this, I'm almost certain, but I ended up getting caught up with this creature. I can't just wander away. If I do, no doubt I'll die. That's the last thing I want./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Look," he breaks my concentration. I turn my attention to what he's pointing at. In front of me is a disaster. If I thought the forest was already dead, I was wrong. This look more like a desolate wasteland./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""What is this?" Quietly I mutter as I take a step closer./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Not too close," he warns putting his arm in front of me. "It's been emtouched/em. If you get too close, you could be in trouble." My gaze turns to him. I can tell that he seems bothered where we are. The tension I had when walking with him earlier seems to have transferred over to him. A scowl is engraved on his face and he seems to be on guard, but for what? What is this threat?/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Why are you showing me this?" I ask hoping to get an answer this time./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I suppose you wouldn't recognize this place now," Shadow hums, but he's staring intently at me leaving me uncomfortable. Why? Puzzled, I look back to the dead land before me. Have I been here? "This is where I found you. Unconscious, nearly dead. Where the mistress was right there ready to kill you."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"He looked as if he was leaving certain parts out. I don't remember ever getting that close to the creature. Though, I blacked out before I could really grasp anything./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""What?" This is the place? It didn't look like this before. It had trees. You could see the little sunlight that seeped in here. It wasn't emdead/em./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Shocking, huh?" I can only nod./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""This can't be it," I protest. "There were trees and-"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""They died," his voice comes out curt. "There's nothing here anymore. I told you that this place was emtouched/em." The shadow faces where we came from, "We walked along the path that she came to find you."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Then, wouldn't that have been emtouched/em as well? Wasn't that just as dangerous?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Because it was only a quick touch," Shadow explains. "If she had stayed here as long as she did when she was in this area, then it would be just as heavily tainted. It would be considered emtouched/em if that was the case."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"He begins to wander around the area. I stare for a bit at the area before me. I could've really been killed. I could've been part of this "touched" zone. That thought lingers in my brain when I look towards his retreating figure./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I run to catch up./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"It's then that I realize that he really is my Savior in this hell. Even if he's just as dangerous./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Thank you," I murmur./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Hmm?" Shadow glances back at me. His red eyes request me to repeat myself./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I sigh and avoid his gaze, "Never Mind."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emI should thank him, but I don't want to./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Where are we going?" I ask when he doesn't comment,however, I notice he is still staring at me with such potency that I start to feel slightly weak./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Consider this a tour. Until you are retrieved."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Couldn't you technically just lead me out of the forest then?" I ask/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"A sigh escapes his pale lips, "No. I can't."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Why?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""You have to be retrieved."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Why?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"The softness in his eyes turn into a glare, "Because you could possibly be the catalyst. You must remain here until you are retrieved."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""By anyone? Or someone specific?" I continue to question him even though he seems to be on the brink of shutting me out again./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""If you're related to who you say you are, then yes. Someone specific," he answers quietly./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Like Link./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Who he is probably referring to./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Hey-"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""What." My Savior replies flatly. "What now?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I realized that I've pushed him too far now. This man who has shown mercy so far, is almost ready to snap at me./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I shrink a bit. Falling silent, I decide take in the dull darkness of my surroundings. The trees that seem like they'll reach out and grab me at any minute. The feeling that I'm being watched by one of those deku scrubs. The chills that down my spine when I see the burning red eyes of the keese. The wind blows, I can hear it, but I can't see the rustling of the trees. Everything seems still except for our own movement./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Hey," comes the urgent voice of the creature of shadows. "Watch where you're going, Celeste." My arm is pulled back roughly. A small yelp escapes my lips in shock as I collide with him. "Pay attention," the warning is whispered. My breath quickens from the urgency of the situation. "I'm aware that I didn't tell you where we were going but don't get ahead of yourself." I steady myself slowly at his warning./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Whether you want to leave that desperately or not, jumping off a cliff is not an option, my dear," there was a hint of teasing, his dark humour beginning to show. The real him behind this gloomy hood coming back out. I wonder how sadistic this man can get. He probably finds enjoyment in my own suffering, even if he claims this is just because of some "word" he has to keep./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I look down seeing where I was about to walk off. The steep cliff that we stand before looks above the forest with no end in sight. I shiver at the idea that I could've fallen down this plummeting to my death./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""You see? You understand now?" Shadow finally speaks again, breaking my concentration./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""What do you mean?" Confusion clouds my brain with his vague question. Am I supposed to understand something from this?/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"An annoyed huff escapes his lips before he replies, "The forest seems boundless, no?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"At that, I look back. It does. It does and I tried to ignore it because it just made me realize how lost I am. How tormented I am here. That I'm practically drowning in this sea of trees that separates me from my home. The trees seem to all be in a different season. Some barren and death like as if in winter. Some colourful, yet an unnatural blood red of the fall, and some green leaves of spring and summer that I didn't think this forest could hold. The death you see from the outside hides the sinister mysteries of the deep woods./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"It separates me from my friends./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Link./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Zelda./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"How far must you be from here?/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Maybe they just won't come," he murmurs. I bite my lip harshly upon hearing the statement. I spin around to face him; my eyes flared with anger./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""What makes you say that?" I glare at him suddenly not fearing him as much as I used to./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"His eyes flicker to me glowing with amusement from my sudden rage. They seem almost excited. Does he want me angry? Does this bring him some kind of sick enjoyment?/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Because we're so far deep into this forest," he begins calmly. "There is no guarantee they would make it this far alive. People stray into this forest, but never as deep as you. It makes me wonder…" he pauses. "It's actually quite concerning for you if you did make it this far." He brings his arm out as if to showcase the forest as his own personal masterpiece, "No one is foolish enough to go this far. No one is foolish enough to send someone in here purposely and not let them know the dangers in here." A small chuckle escapes his hood, "Perhaps this was purposeful. Maybe they were emtrying /emto get emrid/em of you."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I grit my teeth, "How dare you…"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Or maybe they're not even alive-"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I swing my fist at him before I can even think about my actions. Before he can even finish his sentence. My anger has peaked and I don't care about the fact that he could kill me instantly. He catches my fist as if it was nothing. The amusement in his eyes glows brighter with an abnormal mix of calmness. It just fuels my anger even more to realise that he doesn't consider me a threat at all./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""My, my, I didn't know you had this in you," he muses. Not even shock appears in his expression. "I must say I'm impressed with your bravado." A dark disembodied chuckle rings through my ears. The black mist that formed around him earlier begins to envelop him again./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Don't you emdare/em say that again. They are not dead!"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Dead, and you're forgotten and lost? Sounds pretty reasonable based on how much time you've been here," his hand loosens around mine, but he doesn't let go. "emHow unfortunate/em." I shudder at the chilling sound of his voice./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""They wouldn't…They aren't!" I shout. "...How long have I been here?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""A month perhaps? Maybe more, maybe less, I don't keep up with the time. It all blends together here," for a bit, his voice grows distant as if in thought. His eyes leave mine for a second as they dull a bit the mist fades slightly. Only for a second as he looks back to me with his piercing gaze that makes me weak, "Not for a few days like you seem to think, however." He twists my wrist a bit as if it's his own personal plaything. He looks at it with sickening amusement as I wince at each abnormal angle, "Face it, emCeleste/em. I have no desire to hold you here, but your friends are to have no desire to recover you." I open my mouth to reply, but he twists my wrist so far that I find my legs giving out from the pain. A weak groan escapes my lips./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""You're a monster," I hiss underneath the pain. "This is why you're down stuck deep in this forest so no one can know your existence. You're nothing." I'm angry despite the pain. He could kill me now for all I care. I'm sick of his mental torture and being here in this oblivion. As I speak, the mirth in his eyes grows, but it seems that anger and frustration do too. I didn't know you could have such a combination./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""When Link gets here-"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"My speech is cut short when my wrist seems to snap and my mind goes blank briefly. The pain causes a strangled scream, but I don't have time to truly take that in when I feel the ground leave my feet beneath me. When I look up I see the Man of Shadows stare at me darkly. I land harshly on my back; my head just centimeters from the edge of this cliff. He's over top of me pinning me down by my wrists. My legs unable to move because of his angle./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""emLink?/em" I suddenly realize where my mistake was when his demonic voice resonates through my head. "emYou're relying on that pathetic Hylian?" /emI struggle to swallow as my throat tightens. "emWhat did I tell you about mentioning that name?" /emHis face gets close to mine, I don't know how to react nor reply. Even this close, I can't see anything beyond his hood except for the eyes. What is he?/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Get off of me," I manage to say through gritted teeth and unstable breathing. "I will say what I wish. What do you have against him?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""emHe's the reason I'm here. The bane of my existence/em," the demon replies. "emThe reason I'm known for what I am."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I look him in the eyes, "What you are known as? What is your name? emWho/em the hell are you? And why in the hell are you here?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""emCall me what you wish, I do not care. Shadow does not bother me," /emhe "But the reason I'm here? I will not answer that."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Why?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""emWhat is the need for you to know when you'll be gone soon anyway?"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"This sends a chill down my spine. I'm uncertain of the meaning of those words. Does he mean when someone comes to get me even when he said no one would? Or does he mean when he ends my life? When he abandons me in the forest or kills me when I'm sleeping? I don't want to think./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I can't help it./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Then just kill me," I spit./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I would," his voice returns to normal unaffected by my snap. "You're just lucky I have some restraint."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Restraint?!" I shout, "Then why is my wrist like this?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""emI could have broken it/em," he admits with a devilish look in his eyes. "emBut I didn't. Consider it a warning. Do /emnotem mention his name/em."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Why do you hate him so much?" I release a deep breath when I feel his grip disappear. I don't need to look at my wrist to know it's seething red and probably bruised. If not yet, it will soon./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I don't need to explain myself to you," his demeanor has changed./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"He's no longer as much of a threat but knowing he can change so suddenly has left me uneasy. Knowing that it takes one name, he's a bomb. There's no telling, if I slip up next time, what will happen. If it'll be more than a bruised, sprained wrist. I hope I won't find out. If Link comes though, what will happen? Will this just lead to a bigger threat? Or will Link end up hurt?/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I think I deserve to know," I gently caress my wrist as I sit up./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"A tongue click makes me look at him, "It's time to go back. You've seen what I've wanted you to see. The desolation that is this forest. The unlikelihood that you might be saved."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I growl, "What made you think you needed to reinforce this idea?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"He spins around, "Survival skills will be needed. Sure, you'll be supplied food, water, your needs. But I can't guarantee your safety. From the bokoblins, from the deku scrubs, the forest, from any creature. Not even me." The shadow begins to walk away as the sun begins to set behind us. He seems to grow bigger as the sun disappears further./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I open my mouth to speak, but he interrupts, "This place is sin itself. The mistress of the forest, the creatures, me. We're all tainted. We're all stained."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"He walks away leaving me to ponder his random thoughts that almost didn't seem like himself. The change in his moods leave me so bewildered. At times, I don't know why I fear him, other times I'm reminded of the very reason I wish to flee and end this myself./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"But I can't./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I look back briefly to take in what he had shown me...what he had said. It would look pretty if the forest didn't seem so blood thirsty. When the tree leaves seem to be coated with the life liquid of the many possible victims to this place, it leaves me wondering if that's what he's referencing. If this place is stained with the sins of these creatures, will I become the next one to paint the trees red?/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"My mind goes blank./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"My vision red./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I walk away to follow my Nightmare./p 


	6. Chapter 6

p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"strongA/N: It's amazing that I posted another so soon. Haha. This chapter might be a bit confusing, but it'll be explained later haha./strong/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"strongAlso, first chapter in the perspective of Shadow/Dark Link./strong/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"strongRR! Enjoy!/strong/p  
hr style="margin: 5px 0px; border: 0px; background: -webkit-gradient(linear, 0% 100%, 100% 100%, from(#ffffff), color-stop(0.1, #cbcbcb), color-stop(0.9, #cbcbcb), to(#ffffff)) #cbcbcb; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;" noshade="noshade" size="1" /  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emDark Link/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I overlook the forest. How sinister it looks at night. It's the perfect place for me now. It's pitch black that you can barely make out the individual trees. I wouldn't consider this forest extremely dense, but it's not necessarily open either. It's some odd mix of both. Most of the open areas are where she's been. The ones that are relatively dense are the purest places in here./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"This very area where my kingdom was built upon was touched by her. I shudder at the thought that I'm still so closely related to her. Not that I'll ever be separated from her again at this point. It's been this way for years. There's no turning back. Yet, I was greeted with another factor of misfortune./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"The girl…/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"What an odd creature./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"What a tainted soul./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"She'll never be the same again. Not after what she's encountered. Now that this has happened twice, she is beyond saving. If she leaves, the ones outside will have to suffer. If it comes down to it, I suppose I'll have to cast down judgment on her. Not that I mind. I could use a little excitement in this damned forest. Yet, I hesitate./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"That cursed emLink/em./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Maybe this will teach him what it means to mess with me. If his friend is lost because of his own carelessness, maybe he'll realize that he's made a mistake./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emHa/em…/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"That girl must think I'm oblivious. She must not realize that I already know that she came here for more than just because the queen requested it. I know Zelda wouldn't send some lowly Hylian, who doesn't even know what this forest is, all the way out here to her death. I do not like Zelda, but I would never consider her stupid./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I'm alive because of her after all. This bearer of the triforce of wisdom, she is my savior, though I hate so much to admit it. Even if the initial interaction nearly made me want to-/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"No. That's not the point./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"It's because of that mirror of mine./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Because of that damn reflection, she is here and so am I./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emLink./em He just didn't want to come here because he knew I was here. However, if he knew that Celeste would end up like this, would he have been so careless as to reject the queen's order? Doubtfully, so. In fact, judging from her respect for that fiend, he might've thrown his life away for her./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Not that I care./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Her life won't hold any meaning soon. I saw it today, though she couldn't. She couldn't see what I could, and maybe that will be for the best. I honestly hadn't intended on causing her any harm, however, this may be her inevitable fate./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"To think that even she would fall to this curse and it would still remain on her after all these years./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emTouched/em. The aura that surrounded her as soon as she entered the area was rather amazing./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Life, a fickle creation./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I could end the suffering before it can begin, or I can let it continue out and let her wreak whatever havoc she can. The lives of those Hylians mean nothing to me./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Yet, the word I have to keep includes these circumstances./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"My own excuse that I've extended for reasons I will never understand myself./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"/ememI can save you all if you just listen to my terms."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"/ememAnd I should listen why?"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"/ememBecause if you don't, he will kill you. You will die, and so will every other creation of his," the princess' deific blue eyes stared me down. "You may try to make yourself seem as if you are going to bring us all to Hell. That you are just as bad as the one we struck down." She pauses and glances at the bearer of the triforce of courage./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emI could tell he had been staring this whole time. He didn't need his sword anymore, but he stood by the lakeside with his horse ready to strike if I were to be so bold./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emHe didn't trust me./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emGood. It's better that way./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emIf I were to ever reach that point, all I had to do is hit the trigger./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emHaha…/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"/ememLook /emprincessem," I sneered. "I have no desire to cooperate with you. Honestly, I could kill you now if I wanted to."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"/ememKeywords, 'if you wanted to'," she retorted. "Listen Dark—"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"/ememDo /emnot emcall me that," I growled at her feeling the aura around me grow intensely. She did not flinch, however, I saw the hero take a step forward. Zelda swung her arm out quickly stopping him in place./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"/ememForgive me," she apologizes. "It was a slip of the tongue." I avoided looking at her./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emKnowing that I could pierce right through her in a split second, I questioned why I hesitated before her. If I had cut her then, she would have died, Link would have lost it, and perhaps he would have ended me with her. Then, the hero of time would be corrupted./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emHe wouldn't be much of a hero if I broke him mentally./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emI didn't need to live if I accomplished this goal./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"/ememBut you do," Zelda said firmly. "You need to live. For the sake of those that stand behind you. Those that Link could have easily cut down, yet you stood in front of them. Why? Because you know what abandonment feels like? Link ended you in the earlier confrontation but you're back. Why?" She lowered her arm and Link turned back to his horse, but not without the constant glances. "Why, when you could've easily remained dead? Did you feel obligated to? I don't understand your reasoning."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emI scowled, "Stay out of my head princess."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"/ememIt is a mere habit. As much as I hate to do so, you do not give me much to work with out loud, but you have plenty of thoughts swirling in your head," she replied. The lack of emotion in her voice allowed me to see her exhaustion towards the events of today, but I had no desire to let her relax. What fun would that be? "Even the sadistic ones."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"/ememHeh," I chuckled upon hearing that. For some reason, her stating that brought me some obvious joy./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"/ememYou know of the Mistress of this Forest, no?" Zelda continued ignoring my dark tone./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"/ememBut of course," I smirked. "Who wouldn't when she's practically brought this mess along with Ganondorf. The bastard he was."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emThe Mistress who worked behind the scenes./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"/ememGood," the wind picked up slightly and what should have caused the trees to rustle made them remain still. The forest was dead, yet alive./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emPerfect./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emZelda walked closer to the forest, "Then you will know why I mention her."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"/ememIf your request is for me to take her down—"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"/ememI would not request that of you," her reply is quick and curt. "That would be suicidal."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"/ememWhy do you show mercy?" I asked incredulous./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"/ememWhy shouldn't I?"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"/ememI was your enemy. I was trying to /emkill emyou all."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emA slight smirk pulled at her lips, "And now you will be my ally."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"/ememHa!" I felt my sanity slipping away with that comment. The princess felt it too./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"/ememDark hero, listen to me well," she began with the authority of the queen she would soon be. "I have no desire to send you to your death. However, I do not believe you fit to be in this land. You will remain in the forest. For your sake. For his sanity."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em style="font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""/ememspan style="font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial;"span style="font-size: 13px;"Is this about me, or him?" I asked eyeing her./span/span/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"/ememBoth."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emI should have expected that reply. I knew she wouldn't be honest with me. This wasn't about me. It was about making sure the hero in green didn't lose his mind trying to kill me./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emThough, I wanted to test it so bad./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emGods, the desire was burning so deep as to ruin him forever./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"/ememStop," Zelda ordered. "Further those thoughts anymore, and I might have to strike you down. You are calm now. You aren't under Ganon's influence anymore, nor are any of these creatures. You can live if you just remain calm."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emRemain calm she said./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emWhatever you say /emprincessem./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"/ememSo you want me to remain in this forest. This dead forest," I asked with a dark tone. It was my sadistic side showing. I was finding this amusing. That she would cast me away in this forest for the sake of the hero./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emFor me to die there in the end./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emDoes she think she's doing me a favor? So this so called "sparing me" was supposed to help?/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emI'd rather die right here./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emZelda released an exhausted sigh, "Do not misconstrue my words. Dark—Er, there are multiple ways you can handle this situation. The forest does not need to remain this way forever, it can be—"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"/ememZelda!" the hero in green interrupts the princess. A frustrated scowl forms on her face./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"/ememWhat is it, Link?" her patience is thin./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"/ememGet away from this monster!" Link swung his sword at me and I just barely react in time. Only a slight cut across the face and the smell of iron sets me off. Zelda sensed my change in mood and blocked Link off forming her arrows of light. My dark aura was beginning to form around me./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emDoes he have a death wish?/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"/ememDark Link, calm down," commanded Zelda. "Calm yourself Link." I was appalled that she even brought those abominations out in front of me. I could only grit my teeth. Just seeing them was enough to put distance between us. "What is the problem? Why are you acting this way?"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"/ememWhat have you done to Cele?" Link growls./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"/ememCeleste? What are you talking about, Link? She went back didn't she?" Zelda was thoroughly confused now./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emCeleste? There was another girl here that I was unaware of?/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"/ememYou've been plotting this whole time, haven't you, you beast?" Link continued ignoring the princess. "You were distracted us so you could lead her off into the forest with your minions, weren't you?!"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emThe irrationality of this boy./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emTo think that I am the spitting image of him./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emIt makes me want to tear my own face off./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"/ememWhy the hell would I want anything to do with that girl?" I spat./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emLink shakes his head angrily, "I saw them. I saw them, they were chasing her. She ran into that damned forest just a bit ago. Now, Zelda get out of my way!"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emZelda spoke up before he moved any further, "Link, no! Let's find Celeste. We can deal with him later if he was really planning this."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emI didn't have time to reply before Link called Epona, and Zelda and him rode into the forest. What a delight. Gone, they both were. I didn't have to deal with either of them now./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emBut knowing I was being blamed for such a scheme when I was completely unaware of it left me feeling unsatisfied./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emOr annoyed rather./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emI had nothing to do with this, yet this hylian girl who seems to be rather important to the two of them, has gotten me into a situation that I was unaware of. If I was to be blamed for something, I would have rather it have been because of my own actions./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emNot because of someone being an idiot./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emWhy the hell did she run into the damned forest?/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emMy thoughts were interrupted upon feeling the ground shake beneath me. The deku scrubs and the other minions around me pop up and move around frantically./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emI knew this feeling./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emI knew this sound of heavy ghostly footsteps coming from the depths of the forest./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emShe had awakened./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emThis feeling of dread weighed heavily upon me. This was not good. For my sake. If she had awoken that could lead to several endings. I didn't like her. I despised her very existence./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emBecause she was one of the reasons I was so destroyed internally. Why I lost to Link in the first place. That hideous fiend./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emI didn't like Link, nor did I really like Zelda./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emHowever, I held respect for the princess. For reasons, I, myself, was unsure of. Though, I agreed with myself that I wouldn't let that creature win. I wouldn't let her get what she wanted. One thing that would bring me the most joy besides the death of Link would be her end./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emI had no desire to work alongside those two, but if it meant preventing a victory for the mistress, I would happily take their side./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emMy hate couldn't be any deeper for her./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Yet here I am. Holding the scars of that day, bearing them for those two—three. If I hadn't done so, where would she be? Obviously, they erased her memories. Obviously she does not recall me whatsoever./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Yet, why does it bother me?/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Why am I bothered that she doesn't recognize me?/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Would it bring me more excitement if she recognized me, yet I could torture her beyond belief?/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emNo/em./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I don't know my own thoughts anymore./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I just know she brings me pain. She always has. She's always been able to awaken the mistress./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Which is why I don't understand why the supposed "hero" let her come here so easily? When he knows of her fate here, why has he let her come so freely? Is he an idiot?/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Obviously./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"That doesn't explain why Zelda hasn't tried to get her yet. I, myself, am confused by this. They were friends all those years ago. They were. I'm sure they still are./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"But why am I keeping her here?/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"My word, as I have constantly made the excuse for, doesn't extend this far. I could have killed her by now. I keep making the same excuse. The same one that I promised the Queen all those years ago, yet, the time limit has passed. I would be pardoned if I killed her now. So why am I keeping her alive?/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"It's the curiousity./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"My curiousity towards why she can trigger the Mistress so easily. Maybe she's the answer I've been looking for./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"And maybe, keeping her here is my way of getting revenge./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Revenge for what she did to me all those years ago. I risked my life for her sake. For the queen's sake. For the green hero's sake./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Now I'm left with a permanent scar. One that never fully leaves me./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emTouched/em./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"When will the others find out about this? When will the Mistress realize that the pawn is right here? Right here in my grasp?/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emTime/em./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I don't have much left. Which is why the forest is out of sync with the rest of the world, why the forest is so dead again, the mistress is gaining control again. It won't be long until it's completely separated. It won't be long until no one will be able to leave or enter this forest because it will no longer be a part of this world./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"A slow death./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Zelda, do you realize that? Do you realize what you're risking right now?" I speak absently out loud./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Why won't you act?/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Why are my thoughts so scattered?/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"One minute I hate you, the next I'm relying on you./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"How do I really feel? Why am I so conflicted?/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Gods damn it all."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"I reach for my hood and pull back up to cover my perpetual scar. Gods, would they all be frightened if they saw me./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Hell, even I can't tell what I am anymore. This forest has tainted the scar. The emtouch/em has morphed it. Just like the rest of what she's emtouched/em./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"This is what I get./p 


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Took me a while for this chapter too. Probably for the next one as well haha. Anyway, trying to get further into this story but I'm taking my slow time lol. Sometimes it's hard to put things down in words and make sure it all flows smoothly. And at the same time trying to see where I'm even taking this story now characters being OOC and all. Anyway enjoy. R &R!**

* * *

 **Chapter 7**

 _Shadow_

"Master," Besnik calls.

"What is it?"

"How long will she remain here?" he asks nervously.

I guess he's realized that this is still a sensitive topic to discuss after the conversation with his captain. However, I, for some odd reason, have patience for this bokoblin.

I adjust the chains on my cloak, "Until she's retrieved. Why?" I look up at him from my desk. "Is there a reason why you asked?"

"I was just…" the bokoblin readjusts his yellow bandana, untying it and retying it meticulously. I'm amazed at the fear I can strike in him. "Curious, I suppose. Mainly because I've noticed she's been extremely tense since yesterday." He avoids looking at me with a great deal of effort. "I think the captain has really scared her. She doesn't really like being left alone anymore. I…" Besnik pauses briefly, "I have been trying to keep her occupied, but it seems that it's just really gotten her depressed."

I glance up at him briefly, "What do you talk about with her?"

"Well, she does a lot of the talking," Besnik admits. "She talks a lot. About the queen and _him_. She talks about her family and how odd this place is compared to the lost woods." He sighs before continuing, "But then she also voices her confusions about this place. About why she's unable to leave here herself. About this _touched_ , stuff, but I don't know what she meant by that. And then she continued on and on about how she wants to know who this Mistress is."

I tense a bit upon hearing her confusions. I didn't think she would focus so much on that. I thought it would go in one ear and out the other. I was very wrong. However, it also made me realize how little the others knew about our situation. How pleasant.

" _Touched_?" I whisper.

"Do you know what that is my lord?"

"No," I murmur. "Perhaps this place is just starting to make her lose her sanity." Maybe I'm just making excuses for myself.

"I can't help but feel bad for her, I guess," the bokoblin stares at the bandana.

At this remark, I look up at him. I stop what I'm doing and focus on her intensely. Never did I think I would hear this from any of these creatures. Perhaps further disciplining is required. That is, only if he tries to help her leave. He doesn't know what will happen if he goes through with that.

"You what?" I ask raising an eyebrow.

"I, um," suddenly he finds tying his bandana a difficult task. "I just… I mean, she doesn't really deserve to be here."

"And you do?"

My reply was curt and harsh. Not what I had intended. Just the topic of someone deserving to be here is something that drives me mad. Obviously, Zelda and _him_ thought it would be best for everyone if we were to remain here forever.

Besnik frowns at my reply, "I don't know where else we would go that wouldn't get us killed, sir."

That was the most straightforward reply I've gotten from him this whole conversation.

"Is that so?"

I couldn't give him any insight on that response. I didn't know where they would go either. Everyone has deemed us a threat even though we technically don't cause any of those Hylians harm. We haven't done anything in all the years that we've been here. Even though that's taken a lot of work to make them all see that we can't hurt them any longer.

Revenge is not something we should seek for.

Perhaps, I should take my own advice.

"…I've also noticed that you've changed since she's been here," Besnik proclaims.

"And how is that?" I clasp my hands together and rest my chin on them. "Do enlighten me."

"For one, you appear more," Besnik says without a single ounce of nervousness. Why is he so happy about this? "You talk to us more. It's been good for morale. And you also… well… for a lot of us, you're a lot more approachable in comparison to before. When we had others here, you were always away, and then you would always push us away too." He firmly ties the bandana around his neck, "I guess I should be thankful to her for allowing me to talk to you."

Even though she trembles in fear just by seeing me. Yesterday was the most excitement I had gotten from her this whole visit, and, in the end, she managed to trigger my other side.

Perhaps it's because of what we both are.

I shouldn't laugh, but I did. A dark chuckle. One that didn't belong to _me_ , the one who I had kept hidden for a while, the old me. The one that I promised Zelda wouldn't reappear.

I think this girl is causing me to lose my sanity more than she is anything else.

"My lord? Is something wrong?" Besnik asks concern heavily coating his voice.

"No, not at all," yet in fact, everything was going wrong.

All she did was remind me of everything I wanted to forget. All she did was bring back what I had once nearly forgotten. I was moving on. I was doing what Zelda wanted only because, if I didn't, the _Mistress_ would win. She was the last one I ever wanted to grant the pleasure of feeling victory. I would give up anything to make sure she never did.

 _Revenge_.

I would ruin my promise to Queen Zelda if it meant my victory. I would give up her life if it meant it. I had no boundaries when it came to this.

"That girl has had no such effect on me," I reply only laughing mentally now.

"I beg to differ," Besnik says. "But I think I should return to her. No telling how she might be feeling now that she's alone. I hope captain doesn't do anything to her again." He turns around to leave, but I stop him.

"Hold," I order. The creature freezes in his place. "What do you mean again? He's harmed her?"

The creature doesn't fully turn around as if he's accidentally revealed something he was supposed to, "Ah, well, no. Not really."

What an obvious lie. I leave my desk and head towards the door. This captain has been overstepping his boundaries lately. Either I stop him now, or he continues on and possibly kills her.

The bokoblin tries to step in front of me and stop me, but I don't wait and breeze past him. I know the only injury that the girl should have is her wrist. If there's anything else, then we have a problem.

Zelda would not be happy.

Pushing the doors open, I walk through the halls at a brisk pace. I don't have time to be worrying about such matters. If he cannot handle himself, then there will be a need for disciplining.

I enter the room, "Celeste." She turns to me quickly, wide eyed, confused, and afraid.

"What?" she caresses her wrist as if I'm going to attack her again.

I look around the room carefully observing everything around me. Making sure that there's no hiding going on here, I take my time.

"What do you want?" she carefully asks again. "What are you looking for?"

"Has anyone spoken to you recently?"

She raises an eyebrow, "Besnik, and… uh."

"And?"

"The captain," a deku scrubs chimes. "The captain was here! The captain was here!" I swing around to see the deku scrubs that have appeared. Suddenly, by the door, the deku scrubs have gathered around. Without looking at the girl, I can see her shudder.

I focus on them, "What does he do when he is here?"

However, as soon as I ask this question, they dissipate throughout this kingdom. They hide in the shadows where I can't see them. Besnik apologizes to Celeste behind me, and I turn around to face the duo. Neither of them wants to make eye contact with me, yet they know I'm eying them. I just need an answer, so I can figure out what the hell I need to do.

Her in trouble means double the trouble for me. For two different reasons, Zelda and the _Mistress_. I don't have time for that. My energy won't be enough to cope with it.

"One of you needs to answer me," I order.

Celeste retains her defiant stance, "It's nothing. Don't worry about it."

"Obviously, it is my problem," I frown.

"Why should I tell you this?" Celeste questions.

"If he's going against the rules, then I need to know."

"Do those rules even apply to you because obviously they didn't earlier?"

Her sharp reply throws me off guard. I know what she is referring to. The event that transpired earlier where I could have killed her.

But I didn't.

I look at her carefully. Gritting her teeth, she tenses under my stare. My eyes wander towards Besnik who seems to be just as nervous. Why can I never get a straight answer from anyone here?

I sigh, "All I need is an answer. What does he do?"

"Just…" her eyes meet mine. "Just—"

"Master," my attention is drawn to a familiar voice behind me. The creature I was just trying to discuss.

"Captain."

Behind me, a sharp intake of breath rings throughout my ears. Is she nervous? Is she nervous because of his presence or something else?

"Er… Have I interrupted something?"

"No, you haven't. Actually you're just who I wanted to see," I begin to head towards him. The captain looks between Celeste and then me. The obvious disgust forms on his face as soon as he looks at Celeste. The tension between the two is obvious and I make a point to glance back at Celeste. She looks as if she's about to jump off of the chair she's sitting on. Her eyes are wild yet nervous. She's bracing herself for an attack.

How long as this been going on for that she reacts like this? How many fights has she gotten into unarmed?

Should I tighten up security? No, I can't ensure that the other creatures won't harm her either.

Perhaps I'll give her sword back, so she can defend herself and I won't have to worry. That way she won't be trying to use some random umbrella she finds in a room.

Just for the sake of Zelda's and mine.

"Besnik keep watch," I order. Besnik snaps out of his staring contest with the captain and solutes.

"S-sir!"

The tension begins to frustrate me. I don't know what the hell is going on or what this captain has been up to. However, all I know is that I have to put a stop to this before things get out of hands and I can't do anything. For Celeste's sake.

For Zelda's sake and my own.

I walk out of the room; the captain follows me without me having to say a word. We're going to have a long talk.

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 **R &R!**


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